Method and apparatus for drying liquid and semi-liquid materials



' 1935- J. c. M LACHLAN ETAL 2,010,101

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR DRYING LIQUID AND SEMILIQUID MATERIALS FiledMarch 28; 1952 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 .Z 0 as NEY Aug. 6, 1935. J c,MaCLAcHLAN ET AL 2,010,101

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR DRYING LIQUID AND SEMILIQUID MATERIALS FiledMarch 28, 1932 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 a 3 a 4 5 4 0 v .1 M 1 M u fl llf h r 1|I u 0. I 3 n I Vail/l I //d/ V//// 1/ 4 3 U 3 4 5 C 5 I n H 3 w w 4 a 24 I: n J M m\ a U 5 n u" AV u u IluP V l E m W/ i W U A 1 W Fl... 1 an"1 Fl y h P .w FL a n WWII I ll V i w A M mm WW wag MM wt 0 a B 6 l w a 4x 6 3 w H .Vhnr J n 06 a" Q 6 w l4 /v v 1935- J. c. M LACHLAN El AL2,010,101

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR DRYING LIQUID AND SEMILIQUID MATERIALS FiledMarch 28, 1932 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 ORNEYS Patented Aug. 6, 1935 METHOD ANDAPPARATUS FOR DRYING LIQUID AND SEMI-LIQUID MATERIALS John C. MacLachlanand John M. MacLachlan, Chicago, Ill., assignors of one-third to AlbertP. Hunt, Chicago, Ill.

Application March 28, 1932, Serial No. 601,584 16 Claims. (01. 159-4)This invention relates to a method and apparatus for drying liquid orsemi-liquid material. While the invention is applicable to varioussubstances of a liquid or semi-liquid nature, one material which it isdesigned to dry, is milk. In the particular type of drying apparatusillustrated, .the liquid is sprayed centrifugally in a large chambercommonly called a drying cabinet. Various means have been proposed andused for spraying the milk centrifugally at the upper portion of thecabinet. Such means usually comprise rotating members of various typeshaving means for receiving and disintegrating the liquid and projectingthe same in a shower in finely divided condition. These rotatingspraying heads have generally been driven by an electric motor, by beltsor by steam turbines connected thereto. The milk has usually beenprojected outwardly in an umbrella-like shower in the cabinet and heatedair passed through the cabinet and the sprayed milk or other liquid invarious ways. Applicants have conceived the idea of driving or rotatingthe spraying apparatus by means of air,

, which air is also used to disintegrate and project the milk or otherliquid.

It is an object of this invention therefore, to provide a method andapparatus for drying liquid or semi-liquid materials in which thematerial is delivered to a rotating head which disintegrates andprojects the liquid in finely divided form, said head being rotated byair delivered thereto, which air also assists in disintegrating andprojecting said liquid.

It is a further object of the invention to provide an apparatuscomprising a rotating member having means for receiving the liquid to bedried, disintegrating said liquid and projecting the same, which memberis constructed and arranged to be rotated by air, together with meansfor supplying air under pressure to said member for rotating the same,and means for supplying liquidto said member, which liquid isdisintegrated and projected in finely divided condition by the jointaction of said member and said air.

45 It is a further object of the invention-to provide such adistributing head as set forth in the above paragraph, the same beingdisposed adjacent the top of the drying cabinet, together with means fordelivering a whirling current of 0 air about said head in said cabinetwhich whirl rotates in the same direction as said head.

It is also an object of this invention to provide a simple and efficientform of collector cooperating with a drying cabinet for conducting theair 5 therefrom, which air is used to drive a spray head to which freshmilk or liquid is delivered to be condensed.

It is a further object of the invention to providesuch a collectingdevice of the wet collector type, having a means for delivering liquidthereto, a member rotatable about said means and comprisingcircumferentially spaced blades to which said liquid is delivered, andmeans for discharging air into a drying cabinet against said blades torotate said member and project said liquid therefrom, whereby any milkor other powder carried by said air will be engaged by said liquid andremoved from said air.

It is still another object of the invention to provide a drying plantcomprising a drying cabinet, an air operated spraying device in saidcabinet, means for supplying additional air to said cabinet, a wetcollector comprising a cabinet, a rotating means therein fordistributing liquid in said cabinet, said rotating means being operatedby the air withdrawn from said drying cabinet, whereby said liquid ispartially evaporated and any powder in said air is removed by saidliquid.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will be fullyset forth in the following description made in connection with theaccompanying drawings, in whichlike reference characters refer tosimilar parts throughout the several views, and in which:--

Fig. 1 is a view in vertical section of the drying plant, embody ng thepresent invention; taken on line l--l of Fig. 3;

Fig. 2 is a horizontal'section taken on line 22 of Fig. 9, as indicatedby the arrows;

Fig. 3 is a vertical section on line 3-3 of Fig. 1, as indicated by thearrows;

Fig. 4 is a horizontal section on line 44 of Fig. 3, as indicated by thearrows;

Fig. 5 is a horizontal section taken on line 55 of Fig. 3; as indicatedby the arrows;

Fig. 6 is a vertical section taken on line 6-6 of Fig. 4, as indicatedby the arrows;

Fig. 7 is a central section taken on line '|'I of Fig. 1;

Fig. 8 is a horizontal section taken on line 8-8 of Fig. '7, asindicated by the arrows;

Fig. 9 is a central vertical section through the distributing head ofthe drying cabinet;

Fig. 10. is a horizontal section taken on line Ill-l0 of Fig. 9, asindicated bythe arrows; and

Fig. 11 is a vertical section taken on line I l--| I of Fig. 5.

Referring to the drawings, particularly Figs. 1 to 3, a plant for dryingliquid or semi-liquid material is shown, comprising a cabinet l5. Such acabinet is quite large, usually ten or twelve feet in diameter and aboutthirty feet high. While the cabinet may be made of various shapes, inthe embodiment of the invention illustrated the top part of the cabinetis shown as cylindrical and the lower portion I511 is shown as having avertical wall and three downwardly converging walls as shown in Figs. 1and 3.

The oppositely disposed converging walls I5?) form -a trough at theirbottom preferably having a metal bottom I6 in which is disposed a screwconveyor IT. The other inclined wall I 50 extends downward to one end oftrough I6. Con-1 veyor I1 has a shaft I8 secured thereto and extendingcentrally thereof and said shaft projects beyond the end of trough I6and has secured thereto a pulley I9 adapted to receive a suitable beltfor driving said conveyor. Trough I6 is extended outwardly of theconveyor in the form of a chute 20 into which the conveyor I'i alsoextends, said chute 20 having a downwardly directed opening 20a at itsouterend. Conveyor I1 extends through a substantially circular openingin the vertical wall of cabinet I5. The walls I5b and I5c have openingsI5d therethrough shown as of rectangular form and plates 2I are securedto said walls along the tops of said openings, said plates extending atan angle to said walls so that their lower ends are disposed somedistance from said walls and openings. A spraying apparatus is disposedcentrally of the cabinet I5 adjacent the top thereof shown somewhat indetail in Figs. 9 and 10. A bracket 22 is mounted on the top of cabinetI5 and rigidly secured to said top. Said bracket has a lower hub 22a.and an upper hub 22b, which hubs are connected to the base flange 22c ofsaid bracket by suitable circumferentially spaced arms. A pipe 23 isrigidly carried in the bracket 22 and extends downward through the topof cabinet I5,

the same being secured to and communicating with a hollow head 23a atits lower end. Head 23a is of annular form, having a conical bottom 23band having an enlarged peripheral portion 230. A plurality of partions23d extend vertically between the top and bottom of member 23a anddivide the passage therethrough into radially extending passages, saidpartitions extending to the outer edge or periphery of member 230..While the openings. between the partitions 23d are shown, as quitelarge, it will be understood that these may be made of any desired size.The

member 23a has a step formed thereon on which is seated a ball bearingcage 24, the same acting to support a revoluble sleeve 25. Ball bearings26 are also disposed between pipe 23 and the sleeve 25 so that sleeve 25can rotate freely about pipe 23 and will be supported by the'bearings23. Sleeve 25 has a horizontal flange 25a extending outwardly therefromat its lower end, from which extend upwardly arms 25b which'are securedby welding or otherwise to the inner side of a cylindrical sleeve 21. Itwill be seen that sleeves 25 and 21 are spaced to form an annularpassage therebetween, or said members constitute in effect an annularsleeve. The sleeve 2! at its lower end has an outwardly and downwardlycurved flange 21a. A disk 28 is secured to the bottom of sleeve 21 andto the arms 25b and also extend outwardly and downwardly within theflange 21a. Disk 28 has an opening therethrough alining with the openingin sleeve 21 and of the same diameter. Disk 28 extends to the upper andinner side of a plurality of blades or plates 29, to the upper innerportions of which it is rigidly connected as by welding or otherwise.The outer upper portions of the blades 25 are secured to the flange 27awhich connection can also be made by welding. The blades 29 arecircumferentially spaced and arranged in an annulus as shown in Fig. 10and extend inwardly quite close to the periphery of member 230,. It willbe noticed that blades 29 are somewhat curved to have concave surfacesat their inner sides and extend at an angle to the radius of saidannulus or of members 21 and 28. In addition to being secured at theirupper ends to members 21 and 28, said blades are connected at theirbottoms by a ring 30 to which they may be welded. A pipe 3| extendsthrough bracket 22 and an opening in the top of the cabinet into theannular space between sleeves 25 and 21, said pipe having a funnel 3 Idat its top into which the liquid to be dried is delivered through asuitable pipe 32. An annular casing 34 is provided in the top of cabinetI5 surrounding the distributing head and having its bottom substantiallyflush with the member .30. Said bottom is provided with openings 34awhich will be formed between slats or portions 34b so as to extend at anangle. -Air is supplied to casing 34 through an air supply conduit 35.With this construction it will be seen that the air passing out ofcasing 34 will be directed downwardly with a whirling motion in thecabinet I5.

The milk discharged from chute 2G by the conveyor I'I falls upon ascreen 36 which will be oscillatably mounted in any suitable manner, asby being suspended by the swinging links 31. Screen 36 will beoscillated or vibrated by any suitable means, as by a link 38 pivotallyconnected to a lug 39 on the bottom of said screen, which link has atits other end an eccentric strap 38a surrounding an eccentric 40 carriedon a shaft 4|. The screen 36 and chute 20 are disposed in an auxiliarycabinet 42 at one side of the cabinet I5. Shaft M extends to the outsideof cabinet 42 and has secured thereto a pulley 43 adapted to receive abeltfor driving said shaft and oscillating screen 36. Screen 36 has abottom or chute portion 36a'b elow the screen proper 36b therein andchute 35a will direct the screened material to a suitable receptaclesuch as a barrel 44. Practically all of the powder passes through thescreen 36b and this screen is provided for the purpose of distributingand cooling the powder before it is placed in the receptacle 44.

The cabinet I5 has a chamber I5e at its bottom beneath the walls I5b andI50 and the air delivered to cabinet I5 passes through openings I5d intthischamber I5e. There will be some powder drawn through the openingsI5d with the air as itrushes therethrough and some of this willprecipitate on the floor of the chamber I5e.

It is desired to recover the powder passing out with the air and'as theair leaves the drying cabinet, at quite a high temperature, it isdesired to use this heated air to condense or partially condense theliquid which is to be delivered to the drying cabinet. For this purposethe drying plant illustrated comprises a collector and this collector isof the type known as a wet collector. This collector comprises a cabinet45 having a main cylindrical portion, a lower conical delivery portion45a and an annular portion 65b of V-shape in radial cross section intowhich the portion 45a delivers. Portion A51) has an opening centrallythrough its bottom and a conduit 46 extends through this opening, saidconduit communicating with the discharge portion of the fan casing M,the inlet of which is connected to the conduit 58 extending into chamber35c, the top of said conduit being substan- ,tially of the height of thelower portions of the openings I511. A fan 69 ismounted in casing lltion thereof with passage 45d and a conical trap portion of cabinet 45is illustrated as having a semi-cylindrical top portion 45c and the topI5 of the cabinet I5 extends thereacross, which may constitute one floorof a building. A bracket 5I is mounted on top I5 which bracket hasspaced hub portions 5Ia in which is secured a pipe 52. Pipe 52 is shownas being equipped with a valve 53 at its upper end and this pipe extendsdownwardly at the side of cabinet 45 and is connected to the dischargeside of a pump 54, the inlet conduit 55 of which pump leads from astorage tank 56 mounted upon asuitable frame 51. Pump 54 is shown asmounted on a shelf extending from frame 51. A pipe 56a connects the topof tank 56 with the bottom of portion 45b of the cabinet 45, said pipebeing equipped with a valve 56b. Pipe 52 extends downwardly through thetop 45c and is provided with a flange 52a at its lower end on which astep ball bearing 56 is supported, and this bearing in turn supports aninwardly extending flange 59a of a rotating member 59. Member 59 has anupwardly extending sleeve 59b surrounding the pipe 52, ball bearings 60being inserted between said sleeve and pipe on which member :59 revolvesBelow sleeve 59b member 59 is in the form of a substantiallysemi-spherical disk having a concave under surface which extends to theupper inner side of a plurality of circumferentially arranged blades 6|,said blades being secured to the flange at the lower edge of saidconcave disk by welding or other suitable means. Blades 6| are curved asshown in Fig. 8, having their concave sides inwardly and extending at anangle to the radius of the annulus in which they are disposed. Blades orplates 6i are connected at their lower ends by a ring 62 to which theyare connected by welding or otherwise. A disk 63 having a substantiallyconical upper surface is disposed centrally below pipe 52 and isconnected to said pipe by a plurality of arms 63a extending upwardlytherefrom and connected to the inner side of said pipe.

Conduit 46 extends upwardly centrally of the member 59 and has .atitsupper end a head 64 having a plate-like top portion 64a, the center ofwhich is of.inverted conical shape. Member 64 has an annular peripheryand partitions 64b extend between its top and bottom, the outer ends ofsaid partitions being flush with the periphery of said member and saidpartitions extending inwardly some distance from said periphery inradial planes. It will be seen that the air passing upwardly throughconduit 46 will be discharged outwardly through the passages 640 formedbetween the partitions 64b. These passages 640 can be made of varioussizes and may, if preferred, be much narrower so as to be substantiallyin the form of nozzles. A pipe 65 leads from the bottom of tank 56opposite the end, to which pipe 55 is connected, and this pipe 65connects with the inlet side of a rotary pump 66. A pipe 61 connects tothe outlet side of pump 66, the same being shown as equipped with avalve 68. Pipe 61 extends upward through the portion I5} and delivers toa tank 68 supported upon a suitable frame-work 69 resting upon theportion or floor I5f. The pipe 32 leads from the bottom of tank 68 andis shown as equipped with a valve 10. A passage 45d leads upward fromcasing 45 from the portion 45b at one side of portion 45a andcommunicates with an upwardly extending conduit 45c which may deliver tothe atmosphere. A baflle plate 451 extends vertically in line with oneside of the conduit 45e at the juncportion 45a is disposed beneath theconduit 45c at one side'of passage 45d. A drain pipe H extends from thebottom of trap 45g, which pipe is shown as equipped with control valvesI2.

In operation compressed air will be supplied to the pipe 23. While thisair may be supplied at various pressures, a pressure of 25 pounds isquite suitable. Air is also supplied from a blower fan through theconduit 35. Both the air supplied through pipe 23 and that suppliedthrough conduit 35 is preliminarily heated. This is done in furnacesespecially provided for the purpose and the air is heated tosubstantially 300 degrees F. The air passing downwardly from member 23apasses out between partitions 23d and strikes the blades 29. Owing tothe position of these blades, the impact of the air thereon causesmember 21 to rotate. The air pressure will be sufiicient to rotatemember 21 at a speed between 3000 and 5000 revolutions per minute. Thematerial to be dried, such as milk, is supplied fromtank 68 and passesthrough pipe 32 into the funnel 3la and downward into pipe 3|. Thisliquid drops onto the plate or disk 25a and is thrown out to the conicalsurface of the disk- 28. As disk 25a extends close to the surface ofdisk 28, the milk is delivered to the latter with substantially noimpact. The milk travels outwardly along the surface of disk 28 and isdelivered from the lower edge thereof downwardly to the blades 29. Thehigh speed of rotation of member 29 causes the milk to be distributed ina thin film on both sides of said blades and the milk is projectedoutwardly from the blades in very finely divided condition. Thisdisintegration of the milk and the projection thereof is also carriedout by the air being-discharged from member 23a. The disintegration ofthe milk or other liquid is therefore caused both by the rotation ofblades 29 and by the discharge of air from member 23a. By the jointaction of these the milk is as stated, divided into very fine particlesand this disintegration or division is carried out without any impact onthe milk. The milk is thus projected in a shower outwardly from theblades 29 substantially in the form of mist. This shower of milk passingoutwardly strikes the rotating current of air directed downwardly in thecabinet from the casing 34. This rotating current of air acts as a sortof cushion for the projected milk and the current of air delivered fromthe chamber 34 is rotating in the same direction as the blades 29. Thefinely divided milk particles travel downwardly in the cabinet with therotating current of air and are practically instantaneously dried anddrop to the bottom of the cabinet onto the walls I51) and I50 and thisdried powder falls into trough I6 and is discharged by the conveyor IT.The material substantially fills the chute 20 so that practically no airpasses out through the chute. The air discharged into the cabinet passesout rapidly through the openings I5d. There is always some finedriedpowder carried along with the air and some of this powder will beprecipitated in the chamber I56 and will collect on the floor thereof.The air then is drawn out of the chamber I5e through the conduit 48. Theair passing into conduit 48 has had its temperature lowered to between190 degrees and 200 degrees F. The air passes upwardly through conduit46 and is delivered outwardly through the head 64 through thespaces.64c. This air strikes the blades 6| and owing to the dispositionof these blades, they arecaused to rotate so that member 59 rotates athigh speed about the pipe 52, on the bearings 58 and 60. Member 59rotates at approximately 500 R. P. M. The milk or other liquid isdelivered from tank 56 by the pump 54 through the pipe 52 and passesdownwardly onto the disk 63 from which it is thrown outwardly againstthe member 59 and is delivered to the blade 6|. -The milk is thrownoutwardly by blades 6| which rotate at much lesser speed than the blades29 and the milk is directed outwardly against the walls of cabinet infinely divided liquid form. Any powder which is carried. along by theair delivered through conduit 46 will be engaged by this liquid andcarried therewith downwardly in the cabinet 45. The action of the air onthe liquid, which air is still at comparatively high temperature. willevaporate a large proportion of the water therefrom so that the liquidwill be considerably condensed. The liquid passes down through theconical portion 45a into the annular portion 45b. The air passesupwardly through passage 45d and out through the conduit 456. Somemoisture carried by the air will condense and will be intercepted by thebattle 53/ and deposited in the trap 459. This will be conducted to asuitable drain by the pipe H. The milk is collected in tank 56 until itbecomes of desired consistency, and it is then pumped out through thepipes and 67 by pump 68 and delivered to the tank 69 from which it willbe delivered to the drying cabinet. It will be seen that the liquid isdelivered to member 59 and the blades BI without impact, so that it willbe thrown out in a shower of spray. The absence of impact prevents anyfoaming of the milk and this objectionable foaming which has beentroublesomein some wet collectors, is eliminated. The air is reduced toa low temperature in the cabinet 45 and practically all of the heat hasbeen withdrawn therefrom so that it passes out through conduit i156heavily laden with moisture.

' material.

as if the fat globules were not broken.

In starting the test run, the milk will be delivered first to the wetcollector from tank 55 through the pipe 52 and the air will merely bepassed through the drying cabinet Without delivering material to thedrying cabinet. After the milk has reached the desired consistency, thesame willbe turned into the drying cabinet and the plant can then beoperated continuously.

The milk delivered from the chute 20 into the casing or pump 62 dropsupon the reciprocating sieve member 36 and is distributed over the sieveproper 361) so that it is thoroughly aerated and cooled before beingdelivered to the receptacles 44.

From-the above description it is seen that applicants have provided ahighly efiicient method and apparatus for drying liquid and semi-liquidIt is very desirable that the division or disintegration of the materialin the drying cabinet be accomplished without imp-act. If the materialis struck violently by moving blades or members, the fat globules arebroken and the dried product will not go as readily into solution Thetendency of the dried product to becomc rancid, particularly a wholemilk product, if the fat globules are broken, is also much greater. Inthe present method and apparatus the material is disintegrated by thejoint action of the rotating blades and air, and the milk is dividedwith substantially no impact whatever. The driving of the distributor byheated air, which air acts in dividing, drying and projecting thematerial, is believed to be broadly new. The dried power carried fromthe drying cabinet is completely recovered by the sprayer in the wetcollector and the heat'of the air is efiectively used in evaporating theliquid in the wet collector. A very efficient use is thus made of theheated air supplied to the drying cabinet. It will be apparent thatthemethod and apparatus have a high degree of utility for the purposeintended.

It will, of course, be understood that-various changes may be made inthe form, details, arrangement andproportions of the apparatus and inthe steps and sequence of steps of the method, without departing fromthe scope of applicants invention, which, generally stated, consists ina method and apparatus capable of carrying out the objects above setforth, such as disclosed and defined in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:-

l. A distributing head for a drying apparatus having in combination, arotating member having a series of circumferentially spaced blades forreceiving and finely dividing liquid or semi-liquid material andprojecting the same in finely divided condition, the inner ends of saidblades having spaces therebetween both in radial and circumferentialdirections and means for directing air through said spaces against saidblades for propelling said member to rotate said member, said air alsoacting on said material to disintegrate, project and assist in dryingthe same. 2. A distributing head for a drying apparatus having incombination, a rotatable member comprising a series of circumferentiallyspaced and annularly arranged blades, means for delivering liquid orsemi-liquid material to, said blades, and means disposed at the innerends of said blades for directing air thereagainst to rotate said memberand to disintegrate and project said material.

3. A distributing head for a drying apparatus having in combination, avertical conduit for conveying compressed air, a member havingcircumferentially disposed air discharge openings to which said conduitis connected, a rotating member disposed about said conduit and member,said rotating member comprising an annularly arranged series of bladessurrounding said discharge openings, means for delivering liquid orsemi-liquid material to the inner sides of said blades whereby saidmember is rotated by the impact of said air by said blades and saidmaterial is finely divided and projected-by said air and member. J

4. A distributing head for a drying apparatus having in combination, amember having a series of circumferentially spaced blades arranged in anannulus, said blades extending at an angle to the radius of saidannulus, a concave disk disposed above said blades and having its edgedisposed adjacent the inner upper ends of said blades, means fordirecting liquid or semi-liquid material to said disk, and meansdisposed at the inner sides of said blades for directing airthereagainst blades to rotate the same, whereby said liquid is 1 dividedand projected centrifugally bysaid member and air and said powder insaid air is entrapped by 'said liquid.

6. A wet collector having in combination, a pipe for carrying liquid, amember rotating about said pipe having means below said pipe forreceiving 'said liquid and having a plurality of circumferentiallyspaced blades arranged in an annulus to which said liquid is delivered,and a member within said annulus for delivering air outwardly to saidblades to rotate said first mentioned member, whereby said liquid issprayed centrifugally and any powder in said air will be entrapped insaid liquid.

7. An apparatus for drying liquid or semi-liquid material having 'incombination, a stationary pipe {or delivering compressed air, a head towhich said pipe delivers having circumferentially spaced air deliveryopenings, a member compris-. ing an annular sleeve, rotatable about saidpipe, a plate carried by'said member below said sleeve, a concave diskcarried by' said member surrounding said plate, a, plurality ofcircumferentially spaced angularly disposed curved blades carried bysaid member and extending downwardly from said disk and surrounding saidopenings in said head, and a pipe extending downwardly in said sleeve,for delivering liquid to said plate whereby said liquid is delivered tosaid concave disk and blades and is disintegrated and projected by thecombined action of said rotating member and air.

8. A distributing head for a drying apparatus having in combination, arotating member having a plurality of circumferentially spaced outwardlyextending portions adapted to be engaged by air to rotate said member,said member having a central opening surrounded by the inner ends ofsaid portions, means for delivering liqe uid or semi-liquid material tosaid portions and means for delivering air to said member through saidcentral opening and outwardly between saidportions to rotatesaid memberto assist in projecting and disintegrating said material and to dry saidmaterial. 7 a

9. A distributing head for adrying apparatus having in combination, amember rotatable about a substantially vertical axis'a'nd having aplurality of circumferentially spaced means adapted to be engaged by airto rotate said member, means for delivering liquid or semi-liquidmate-'- rlal to said member and means, and means horizontally alinedwith said first mentioned means for directing air outwardly to thesameto rotate said member ,for projecting and disintegrating said materialand to assist in said projection and disintegration and to dry saidmaterial.

10. A distributing head tor a drying apparatus having in'comblnation, a.member having a central opening and having a plurality ofcircumferentially ,spaced plates an'anged about said opening andextending outwardly, 'means for delivering air through said opening toengage said plates and pass outwardly along the same to rotate saidmember and means for delivering liquid or semi-liquid material to saidplates whereby said material is projected and finely divided by thejoint action of said blades and air.

11. A wet collector having in combination, a cabinet, a pipe fordelivering liquid to said cabinet having a discharge end, a rotatingmember to which said liquid is delivered comprising a plurality ofcircumferentially spaced plates arranged in an annulus and extendingoutwardly adapted to receive said liquid, means receiving said liquidfrom said pipe and delivering it to said member and means for directingpowdercarrying air against said plates to rotate the same, said firstmentioned means delivering said liquid to the central opening betweensaid blades whereby said liquid is divided and projected centrifugally.by said member and air and said powder in said air is entrapped by saidliquid.

12. A wet collector having in combination, a

,pipe for carrying liquid having an open discharge end, a rotatingmember coaxial with said pipe having a plate adjacent said dischargeend, a concave disk extending about said plate, a series ofcircumferentially spaced blades arranged in an annulus outwardly of saidplate and to which said concave disk extends whereby liquid dischargedby said plate engages said concave disk and is delivered to said blades,a head within said annulus having a plurality of air discharged meansfor discharging air against said blades to rotate said member and aconduit for delivering air to said head.

13. A spraying device for a wet collector having in combination, asupport, a pipe carried by said support for supplying fluid and havingan open discharge end, a rotating member surrounding said pipe andhaving a plate below said discharge end, a member surrounding said platehaving an inner concave surface extending outwardly and downwardly andspaced from the edge of said plate, a series of circumferentially spacedannularly arranged blades below said last mentioned member and to whichsaid concave surface extends, a head within and spaced from the innerends of said blades having circumfer- -entially spaced openings fordischarging air against said blades to rotate said member and a conduitfor supplying air to said head whereby said liquid ls centrifugallydischarged from said plate against said concave surface. and deliveredto said blades and is projected outwardly by'said blades and the actionof said air.

14. The structure set forth in claim 13, said conduit extendingdownwardly and being arranged ooaxially with said rotating member.

15. A drying device having in combination, a chamber constructed andarranged to contain a heated gaseous drying medium, a rotatable memberin said chamber for centrifugally projecting liquid or semi-liquidmaterial having a central opening and including means for rotating saidmember by the force of air, means for delivering material to saidmember, means for simultaneously delivering air through said centralopening to rotate said member and assist in projecting,. and finelydividing said material.

16. The method of disintegrating and drying liquid or semi-liquidmaterial which consists in delivering said material without impact to arotating member, centrifugally projecting said material outwardly fromsaid member unobstructedly into a heated mediinn and further projecting,disintegrating and drying said material by simultaneously directing airoutwardly in all directions from said. member with said material.

JOHN C. MAcLACI-ILAN. JOHN M. MACLACI'ILAN.

